Released August 25, 1982 Artist The Time Label Warner Bros. Records | Length 38:46 Release date 25 August 1982 | |
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Recorded December 1981 – July 1982 What Time Is It?
(1982) Ice Cream Castle
(1984) Producers Morris Day, Prince (as The Starr ★ Company) Genres Funk, Rhythm and blues, Pop music Similar The Time albums, Funk albums | ||
What Time Is It? is a 1982 album by The Time. The album was recorded at Sunset Sound and Prince's home studio in the Minneapolis suburbs. The title of the album comes from an exclamation by Morris Day that became associated with the band's on-stage theatrics, appearing frequently on the band's debut album as well.
Contents
Like the previous album, What Time Is It? was largely written, recorded and produced by Prince, and contained no input from band members other than Morris Day, although all band members were credited. Four of the six songs were credited as written by The Time and two by Morris Day, but Prince wrote all six songs (with lyrics on Wild And Loose written by Dez Dickerson).
Showcasing a denser and more inventive Minneapolis sound, What Time Is It? produced three singles: "777-9311", "The Walk" and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too".
Recording
The album was recorded in two sets of sessions. Gigolos Get Lonely Too, The Walk and Wild And Loose were recorded in mid-January 1982. 777-9311, Onedayi'mgonnabesomebody and I Don't Wanna Leave You were recorded in May or June 1982. All tracks on the album feature only Morris Day and Prince, apart from spoken vocals by Vanity on The Walk. Other tracks recorded for possible inclusion on the album included Jerk Out (later released by The Time on Pandemonium), International Lover (released by Prince on 1999), Bold Generation and Colleen. Dance To The Beat, which was played live by The Time in early 1982, may also have been intended for the album.
Promotion
The album produced three singles was released before the album, 777-9311, Get Lonely Too and The Walk. The Time supported the album by touring as one of Prince's opening acts on the 1999 Tour.
Reception
The album peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Soul LPs. It spent a total of 33 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 38 weeks on the R&B Albums chart. The album's peaking was more successful than the group's previous release. The album was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales over 500,000 copies in the United States.
Singles and chart placings
- "777-9311"
- "Grace" (non-album track) – 7" single
- "The Walk" – 12" single
- "The Walk"
- "OnedayI'mgonnabesomebody" – 7" single
- "777-9311" – Japan 7" single
- "I Don't Wanna Leave You" – 12" single
- "Gigolos Get Lonely Too"
- "I Don't Wanna Leave You"
Songs
1Wild and Loose
2777-93118:04
3Onedayi'mgonnabesombody2:26